Qualified?

We can be challenged to maintain our spiritual credibility.  Certainly, none of us is qualified in and of ourselves to do the work of the Lord, but by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, He
has qualified us to be part of the family of God through salvation and to function as part of the body of Christ through service. 1st Corinthians 9 says:
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul speaks of being "disqualified."  I don't believe that he is talking about losing salvation; rather, that our credibility is diminished if we do not reflect the character of Christ.  We can give the aura of being devoted to Him, but if our lifestyles and our choices are not consistent with His principles, then we essentially are hypocrites.  So that we may grow in our Christian life and that our witness might be effective, we have to be well-versed in and obedient to certain essentials of the faith, so that we might be distinctive.

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In 1st Timothy 3, the Bible lays out some characteristics of people in spiritual authority.  The first
three verses say:
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous...

I'll stop there...the chapter also deals with that brand of spiritual leader known as the "deacon."
Following these lists, Paul writes:
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

When you think of celebrities who are vocal about God, you have to think that Justin Bieber will top the list.  And, this week has been a whirlwind of speculation about Bieber's career, as well as what his next step might be.

According to a story on the Daily Mail website on Monday, the pop singing sensation announced that he would be cancelling the remainder of his "Purpose" world tour.  No reason given other than "unforeseen circumstances."  The story goes on to say that, "Australia's Channel Nine entertainment guru Richard Wilkins has claimed that the real reason Bieber decided to step off the tour bus was that he wanted to 'reconnect with his faith' and possibly start his own church.  Wilkins claims to have received his information from some anonymous insider.

Then, another source comes forward:

Shortly after, a source told TMZ that Justin actually cancelled the shows because of religion.

He has reportedly 'rededicated his life to Christ,' according to a source connected to Hillsong Church in Los Angeles.

Over the past few months, Selena Gomez's ex has become very close with Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz.

And in his Instagram bio, Justin links to a sermon by Miami pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr., as opposed to one of his music videos or his songs on iTunes.

The Daily Mail article says that on Tuesday: "...the singer stepped out in Beverly Hills to grab a bite to eat at SugarFish restaurant where he was questioned by TMZ if he cancelled the concerts due to 'religious reasons'."  The story stated: "The 23-year-old Canadian crooner looked dumbfounded by the question as he replied with a simple: 'No, you already know the reason.'"

OK, then.  Well, the announcement on Monday, the denial on Tuesday, what else could happen?  On Wednesday, according to a USA Today story, Bieber hit a photographer while driving a truck:

In a clip from ABC World News Now, Bieber is seen entering the truck and pulling out of a parking space amid a throng of photographers. As others back away, one of the photographers steps toward the truck and is hit by the front wheel on the passenger side. Another clip shows Bieber kneeling beside the injured man, offering to help.

At one point, Bieber turns and sarcastically asks the group of photographers if they are getting enough footage of the man lying on the ground. The man is eventually put on a stretcher and wheeled to an ambulance.

He just can't avoid the spotlight, can he?  Admittedly, the truck incident was an accident, it seems - Bieber wasn't cited and the photographer did not have life-threatening injuries.

So, let's go back to Monday - the rumors of Justin Bieber starting a church.  Justin's life - the good, bad, and ugly - has played out for the world to see.  He is apparently outspoken about his faith, but his fruit can sometimes be, well, questionable.  So, is Bieber qualified to plant a church?  You could pose the question of what makes a person qualified for ministry.

That's a matter that the leadership of a church in South Carolina is facing.  Last year, the pastor was removed, with alcohol abuse being a prime factor.  But, he has begun speaking at churches, but not at his former church, an issue that was addressed by the interim pastor at a recent "Leadership Night" for the church, which was primarily centered in a new leadership structure for the church.

ChurchLeaders.com reports: that the question was posed at the meeting and the interim pastor, "After "reading Bible passages that detail the moral expectations for someone in pastoral ministry," he said, “We can’t speak for other churches."  He said that the former pastor, in the eyes of the church, "does not currently meet biblical qualifications.”

The former pastor, who has been posting regular video updates on Facebook, was quick to respond. The article goes on: to say that he has accused the church of a “characterization of me being unqualified [for pastoral ministry] that was a direct assault on other churches who invited me in to speak, which is an attack on my livelihood.”

Apparently, there have been some meetings between the former pastor and current leadership, but he has rebuffed invitations to meet with the current interim, saying that he wasn't ready for that.

So, all in all, the church is grappling with effective leadership and the...qualifications for ministry.

Which gets us back to Bieber - so he's not starting a church, it seems.  But, if it were, would it be Biblical?  I can't judge the young man's heart; I certainly see the passion and desire, but are the qualifications present?  I also don't know a whole lot about that former pastor's walk - he's been through a tough time, and apparently his former authorities have concerns about his readiness to go back into pastoral ministry.

One thing I will say, these guys are in the spotlight - and the spotlight can be something God uses, but it can also be a tool of the enemy.  I thought about what happened after Saul became Paul, after his dramatic conversion - he went away.  He details in Galatians 1:

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

He says in verse 22, "I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ."

I think that each of us should make time for reflection as believers in Christ.  Our personal walk with the Lord can prepare us for doing ministry that brings Him honor; that doesn't exalt self, but exalts Christ and affects lives.

I don't know what Scriptures the interim pastor at that South Carolina referred to that night, but I wouldn't be surprised if 1st Timothy 3 made the list.  We see references to qualifications for bishops and deacons - these are some characteristics that all of us can aspire to.  While this passage deals with pastoral ministry and church leadership, we also recognize that we have all been called, and God will equip us to do His work and bring glory to His name.  We are all called to spiritual leadership - over someone, and by our devotion to Christ and personal character, we can develop the ability to be effective for Him.